I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10, NLT
There used to be a television show that aired called “What Not to Wear”. While friends and loved ones would apply to the show on behalf of a friend–the featured guest–who desperately needed a fashion makeover, the ultimate choice to accept it lay with the guest. The show hosts would explain the guidelines and rules before offering a shopping spree and physical makeover. They would then ask the guest if they wanted to accept.
Most people jumped at the chance, particularly those who recognized their need for help. But on occasion, there were also those who said no and rejected the entire idea. They were unwilling to accept help to change and couldn’t see how this positive change would benefit them.
The Robe is a symbol of Christ’s righteousness that covers our nakedness when we accept it.
Because of sin, there is a chasm between us and God. While the enemy tempts us to believe that this breach is unrepairable, God is not satisfied to live this way. God loves us too deeply to let us go without making every effort possible to reconcile our relationship. He wants us to be right with Him. God wants to bridge this chasm. This is why He offers us His robe of righteousness.
On our own, our righteousness is like filthy rags. But we can come to God in our tattered state and He freely offers us a makeover. God is a master designer. His expertise is in radical transformations. Yet, we are the ones who must choose whether or not to accept. He’s awaiting our permission to complete our transformation.
Even though He has the best plans and all the answers that we need to live well, God doesn’t force His will on us. He doesn’t blackmail or manipulate situations to get His way. It has to come unforced, from our own desire to be with Him for Who He Is.
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This article is part of the Ten Days of Prayer 2018 series. Visit that page to find all the other articles in this series.
